Menstrual receptacle and uterine supporter.



No. 679,478. Pafontod July 30, I90l. J. B. LANG.

IEIISTBUAL BECEPTACLE AND UTERIIE SUPPORTER.

(Application 810d an 11, 1001.)

(I6 Modal.)

INVENTOR QTTORNEY UNTTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB R. LANG, OF ROCKPORT, INDIANA.

MENSTRUAL RECEPTACLE AND UTERINE SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,478. dated July 30, 1901.

Application filed May 11, 1901. Serial No- 59,765. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACOB R. LANG, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Rockport, county of Spencer, and State of Indiana, (post-office address Rockport, Indiana,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Menstrual Receptacles and Uterine Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in pessaries or uterine supporters combined with a receptacle for receiving and retaining the menstrual flux. The instrument is introd uced into and retained in the vagina during use, and is so shaped as to be conveniently and painlessly contained therein in contact with the uterus, which it supports, and is by reason of its construction self-supporting.

A prominent feature of the invention consists in arranging the instrument so that it forms a receptacle, the outer end of which is closed bya screw-cap, together with provision for the sufficiently free escape of air.

The details of construction and arrangement will be more fully set forth in the following description and claimed in the appended claims in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the instrument embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an end view, and Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, A indicates the body of the instrument, which is hollow and constitutes a receiver, which is ordinarily of about one and seven-eighths inches in diameter and three inches long; but these dimensions will vary, as the instrument will be made in several sizes. The body A tapers through part of its length and is much smaller at its outer end.

The instrument is preferably made of hard rubber, is specially formed at its upper end to rest upon and support the lower end of the uterus, and becomes smaller toward its forward end, which when in place should not project much if at all beyond the body. The tapering inwardly-enlarging form of the instrument imparts to it an upward tendency, which will prevent it from slipping downward, and make the device self-sustaining as well as a support to the organs involved.

The lower end of the bodyA of the instrument' is provided with a removable screwthreaded cap B. The upper end of the illstrument is provided with a f unnel-shaped end 0, constituting a pessary, having a central orifice D, and the walls of the end 0 incline downwardly toward the central orifice. The air-d uct E is attached to or formed in the body A at its upper side and extends from the interior of the upper end of the body A or receiver to a point upon the exterior thereof adjacent to the cap B, which, being near the entrance to the body, will permit of free escape of air to the atmosphere as the receptacle A receives the fluid which it is intended to contain.

The instrument is widest at its upper end, from which point it tapers somewhat, becoming gradually smaller toward the point of about two-thirds of the distance from the larger end, where the decreasein size becomes more marked, forming practically a sloping shoulder. The remaining lower portion 9 of the body is almost uniform in size. This is substantially the conformation shown in the drawings and is particularly designed to place the larger portions of the instrument where they will be sustained by the muscular formation and so develop the self-supporting features, which are of such great importance in .my invention.

I am aware that instruments seeking to ac complish my purpose have previously been constructed; but in many instances they are secured in place by straps, which render them of little service and involve all the inconveniences of the most primitive methods.

My instrument is constructed preferably of hard rubber, although it will be understood that any other material possessing similar characteristics may be substituted therefor. I specify hard rubber as the best material known to me for the purpose, since it does notrust and will receive and retain a smoothly-polished surface. It is insoluble in the liquids of the body, is a poor conductor of heat and cold, and at the same time is light and stiff and can be molded into any desired form, and when made quite thin will be strong enough to support the walls of the vagina without being heavy and cumbersome, and in this particular connection the choice of,.materials is of the utmostlimportance. I am aware that instruments for this purpose have been devised and constructed of soft rubber; but the elasticity and yielding nature of that substance entirely unfits it for use as a self-supporting body instrument. Furthermore, by means'of my construction the receptacle A is continually freed from air, so that there is no back pressure, inconvenience, or danger from that source. The contents of the receptacle A can be removed at any time by unscrewing the cap B, and all danger of fouling can be absolutely prevented by syringing out'its interior with an antiseptic solution while in place, so that when once a properly-adjusted instrument has been procured and is in use it will not be necessary to remove it except when convenient.

Having described my invention, what I claimis 1. A'menstrual receptacle and uterine supporter comprising the tapering curved receptacle formed with centrally-apertured uterus supporting. pessary at its inner, larger end, and provided with a removableliquid-tight cap at its lower end and having an air-duct extending from the inside of the upper portion of the receptacle, said duct having an exteriorontlet at or near its lower, smaller end;

2. A self-sustaining menstrual receptacle and uterine supporter constructed of hard rubber and comprising the tapering curved receptacle formed with centrally-'apertured z uterus-supporting pessary at its inner, larger 8th day of May, 1901.

JACOB R. LANG. Witnessesz.

SIMON F. BOSLER, ALBERT H. KENNEDY. 

